Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
Marilee Howard arranges a bouquet of flowers at the Elinor in Vestavia Hills. Howard also sells books and names her arrangements after literary characters.
Marilee Howard only loves one thing more than flowers—literature. A year ago, she opened her flower and book shop in Vestavia, The Elinor, named after the protagonist from Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility.
“I have dreamed of opening a bookstore since the 1990s,” Howard said. “And I have worked with flowers for over 20 years.”
Howard keeps the walls of the flower shop stocked with literature and also hosts a book club. She wants to give students and adults a place to relax outside of work.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, Howard encourages community members to shop locally for flowers.
“At a grocery store, you can’t have someone tailor your arrangement the way you want,” Howard said. “A specialist, on the other hand, can make the arrangement more personal.”
During the season of love, Howard sees lots of pink and lavender colors in the orders. Contrary to popular belief, she said that roses are not the flower of choice for most women.
“My advice is to ask her or see what flowers she buys for herself,” Howard offered.
“I love seeing when people are happy with my work,” Howard said. “Your local florist is important because they are with you for births, holidays, graduations, dances, and weddings.”
